Nihang, sarpanch among 16 booked for attacking cops

A team of the Sadar police station of Ludhiana city was attacked by a nihang, wanted in a vehicle robbery case, and 15 others at Kamalpur village near Jagraon on Friday night when the officials went to nab a vehicle robbery suspect. Sadar SHO inspector Harshvir Singh and Marado police post in-charge sub-inspector Tarsem Singh suffered injuries in the attack.

Taking action in the matter, the Hathur police on Saturday registered a case against the 16 suspects, including the nihang, sarpanch Pamma and a panch.

As per information, on January 14, three miscreants in the outfit of Nihangs threatened a farmer with sharp weapons and looted his Maruti Alto car (bearing registration number PB08CB0113) in Sangowal. During investigation of the case, the police apprehended one of the suspects, identified as Manjinder Singh, who gave information to the police about whereabouts of another person, Simranjit Singh, a nihang. The police party, led by the SHO, had gone to conduct a raid at Kamalpur village in Hathur to nab the suspect on Friday night. When the police team reached the place and knocked the door of the suspect, the Nihang, along with his family members and other aides, attacked the police with swords and other sharp weapons.

As per sub-inspector Tarsem Singh, the police also fired shots in the air to shoo away the assailants who had gathered around the police party. He suffered serious wounds on his hand while the SHO suffered a cut near his lips. Two other cops suffered minor injuries in the attack. Despite the attack by the miscreants, the police team nabbed Simranjit,”

The suspects were involved in several vehicle robberies across the state. Further investigation in the case would be conducted to nab the remaining suspects and recover looted vehicles from them,” he said.

ADCP Dev Singh said a complaint was filed at the Hathur police station after which a case was registered against the assailants.